[1]In Gulick ("Life of the Ancient Greeks," pp. 304-310) there is
a valuable list of Attic festivals. The Athenians had over thirty
important religious festivals, several of them, e.g., the
Thesmorphoria (celebrated by the women in honor of Demeter), extending
over a number of days.

[2][Note from Brett: A "Scotch Sunday" refers to the
practice of the Sabbath day in Scotland. During the Sabbath day (at
the time of the author of this work) in Scotland no activity goes on
except for Church. There is no travel, no telecommunication, no
cooking, not allowed to read the newspaper, etc. A "Scotch Sunday"
therefore, represents a day of religious austerity.]

[3]It is needless to point out that to the Greeks, as to many
other ancient peoples,—for example, the Hebrews,—dancing often
had a religious significance and might be a regular part of the
worship of the gods.

[4]Not all Athenians were among the "initiated," but it does not
seem to have been hard to be admitted to the oaths and examination
which gave one participation in the mysteries. About all a candidate
had to prove was blameless character. Women could be initiated as well
as men.

[5]We do not possess the official chant of the Mystæ used on their
march to Eleusia. Very possibly it was of a swift riotous nature like
the Bacchinals' song in Euripides "Bacchinals" (well translated by Way
or by Murray).

[6]This was about the only considerable town in Attica outside of
Athens.

[8]Pindar ("Frag." 75) says thus of the joy and beauty of this
fête: "[Lo!] this festival is due when the chamber of the red-robed
Hours is opened and odorous plants wake to the fragrant spring. then
we scatter on undying earth the violet, like lovely tresses, and twine
roses in our hair; then sound the voice of song, the flute keeps time,
and dancing choirs resound the praise of Semele."

[9]It seems probable (on our uncertain information) that Athenian
ladies attended the moral and proper tragedies. It was impossible for
them to attend the often very coarse comedies. Possibly at the
tragedies they sat in a special and decently secluded part of the
theater.

[10]These benches (before the stone theater was built in 340 B.C.)
may be imagined as set up much like the "bleachers" at a modern
baseball park. We know that ancient audiences wedged in very close.

[11]I think it is fairly certain that the classical Attic theater
was without any stage, and that the actors appeared on the same level
as the chorus. As to the extreme simplicity of all the scenery and
properties there is not the least doubt.

[12]In the fourth century B.C. when the creation of original
tragedies was in decline, a considerable part of the dionysia
productions seem to have been devoted to the works of the earlier
masters, Aeschylus,
Sophocles, and
Euripides.

[13]In the "Middle" and "Later" comedy, so called, the chorus
entirely disappears. The actors do everything.

[14]Comedies, although given at this Dionysia, were more especially
favored at the Lenæa, an earlier winter festival.

[15]Not that this robe was for the revered ancient and wooden image
of Athena Polias, not for the far less venerable statue of Athena
Parthenos.

[16][Note from Brett: A bullock is a young, possibly
castrated, bull.]